Album Moods

Fringe Benefits: 1977-1985

AllMusic Review
by Joslyn Layne

From Michigan label Entropy Stereo comes Fringe Benefits, a compilation of Jon Rose recordings spanning 1997-1985. Included are solo recordings, as well as tracks made with a variety of people, including Rik Rue, Jim Denley, Relative Band, and Joe "Doc" Rosenberg. The settings range from a river to an airport, at home to in a club, and find Jon Rose on an array of homemade instruments. While this two-disc set is probably not going to be listened to in one sitting, it serves as an important documentation of the range of Rose's work in these previously unreleased recordings of experimental music. Personnel, instrumentation, place, and dates (when known) are given for each track in the thorough booklet; also included are some photos of Rose's homemade instruments, including the "double violin with French moped function."